CT texture analysis of the liver for assessing hepatic fibrosis in patients with hepatitis C virus
Year: 2018
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Objective: To evaluate CT texture analysis (CTTA) for non-invasively staging of hepatic fibrosis (stages F0-F4) in a cohort of patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV). Methods: Quantitative texture analysis of the liver was performed on abdominal multidimensional CT scans. Single slice region of interest measurements of the total liver, Couinaud segments IV–VIII and segments I–III were made. CT texture parameters were tested against stage of hepatic fibrosis in segments IV–VIII on the portal venous phase. Texture parameters were correlated with biopsy performed within 1 year for all cases with intermediate fibrosis (F0–F3). Results: CT scans of 556 adults (360 males, 196 females; mean age, 49.8 years), including a healthy control group (F0, n = 77) and patients with hepatitis C virus and Stage 0 disease (n = 49), and patients with increasing stages of fibrosis (F1, n = 80; F2 n = 99; F3 n = 87; F4 n = 164) were evaluated. Mean gray level intensity increased with increasing fibrosis. For significant fibrosis (≥F2), mean showed receiver operatingcharacteristic area under the curve (AUC) of 0.80 with sensitivity and specificity of 74 and 75% using a threshold of 0.44, with similar receiver operatingcharacteristic AUC and sensitivity/specificity for advanced fibrosis (≥F3). Skewness and kurtosis were inversely associated with hepatic fibrosis, most prominently in cirrhotic patients. A multivariate model combining these four texture features (mean, mpp, skewness and kurtosis) showed slightly improved performance with AUC of 0.82, 0.82 and 0.86 for any fibrosis (F0 vs F1–F4), significant fibrosis (F0–1 vs F2–4) and advanced fibrosis (F0–2 vs F3–4) respectively. Conclusion: CT texture features may be associated with hepatic fibrosis and have utility in staging fibrosis, particularly at advanced levels. Advances in knowledge: CTTA may be helpful in detecting and staging hepatic fibrosis, particularly at advanced levels. CT measures like CTTA can be retrospectively evaluated without special equipment.
Source: British Journal of Radiology
DOI: 10.1259/bjr.20180153
Authors: Meghan G Lubner, Daniel Jones, John Kloke, Adnan Said, Perry J Pickhardt
Institution: University of Wisconsin–Madison
Language: English
Subfield: Radiology, Nuclear Medicine and Imaging
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2890296242